Program-clock.



J. B. RODKEY & E. C. FARRAR. PROGRAM CLOCK. APPLICATION FILED we. 11,1911.

1,051,765, M Patnted Jan. 28, 1913.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Mail/4770 1 Jzuwi' Witnesses key Inventor) Attorneys- J. E. RODKEY & E.G. FARRAR. PROGRAM CLOCK. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 17, 1911.

1,051,765. Patented Jan. 28, 1913.

3 HHBE'IB-SEEBT 2.

Witnesses Attorneys.

J. B. RODKEY & E. G. PARRAR. PROGRAM CLOCK. APPLICATION FILED 1116.17,1911.

3 BHEETS8HEET 3.

xiv/1% Q, Z djrrzfi Inventors Attorneys Patented Jan. 28, 1913.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JESSE E.

RODKEY AND ERNEST C. FARBAB, OF AXTELL, KANSAS; SAID BODKEY ASSIGNOR TOROBERT K. FABBAB.

PROGRAM-CLOCK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 28, 1913.

Application filed August 17, 1911. Serial No. 644,680.

- the following is a specification.

This invention relates to school grade clocks.

The object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of thischaracter, adapted more particularly for use in schools having the highschool and the graded schools in one building, in which the division oftime may be accurately divided, and the different rooms notified of thehours of session,-or

the beginning of studies or recitations.

A further object of this invention is to construct the apparatus in suchmanner that only one set of batteries will be needed in its operation,thus effecting a large saving in the use of the system.

A still further object of this invention is the provision of anelectrical contact forming means carried by or operably connected withthe minute hand arbor of a clock, whereby at difi'erent periods thecircuits are made and broken to give certain alarms in the respectiverooms where desired, so as to indicate the various endings or beginningsof periods of study or recess, throughout the day, various riods beingregulated as desired, but as fore stated the entire circuit making andbreaking device being operable from and controlled entirely by theoperation of the minute hand arbor of the clock.

With the above and other objects in view, as will appear as the natureof the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novelconstruction and combination of parts of a school grade clock, as willhereinafter be fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings-Figure 1 is a dia mmatic view of thesystem, the period c anging switch being in elevation and in itsreversed positions. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the drum with thecarriage at the left side thereof. Fig. 3 is a top plan view thereof.Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of the carriage, per se. Fig. 5 is adetail perspective view of the carriage lifting and guiding device.Figs. 6 and 7 are views showin the cam plate carried by the rotary drumor assistin in starting the contact carrying carriage in the reversedirection.

Referring to the drawings, A designates the base, carryin the clockWorks or mechanism C, and the ial D, the minute hand arbor 100, havingrotatably mounted thereonbetween the works and the dial, a drum 1, madeof insulation, preferably hard fiber or vulcanite, the said drum havingits ends closed by the disks 1, of the same material. The exterior ofthe drum is threaded and in reality forms a feed screw the outer ed esof the threads bein square and prefera ly made at No. 8 pitch.

By having the drum rotated by the minute hand arbor of the clock, thesaid drum is rotated once every hour, and at all times is in step withthe minute hand of the clock. Dis osed to oscillate back and forthlongitudinally of the drum upon the rod or shaft 3, is a carriage,consisting of a long curved arm 2, carrying at its respective ends theupstandin blocks 4 and 5 of insulation, while carried by the curved arm2 intermediate of its ends and projecting above and below the same arethe oppositely dis osed styli 6 and 7 respectively, the stylus 6 beingadapted to normally fit within the groove between the threads upon theexterior of the drum 1, during the passage of the carriage caused by therotation of the drum from left to right as viewed in Figs. 2 and 3 or inother words from movement in the directlion from the clock works towardthe dia The shaft 8 carrying the feed screw 8' is disposed within theframe-work above and parallel with the shaft or rod 3 and receivesmotion through the gears 9 and 10, whereby the said screw 8 is rotatedsimultaneously from the minute hand arbor of the clock with the drum 1.Carried upon the outer free end of the curved arm 2 is a plate 32, whoseouter free end projects beyond the extreme end of the curved arm 2 andis bent slightly upwardly so as to not contact the surface of the drum1, but yet when the stylus 6 has entered the end of the threads at theextreme right of the drum, the cam plate 31 will engage themderside ofthe plate'or arm 32, imparting to the curved arm 2 an upward movementwiththe shaft 3 as its center causing the extreme end of the arm 32 toenter the outer notch 33' of the cross bar and guiding plate 34, so thatthe outer free end thereof, the stylus 6 having been disengaged from thethreads of the drum and the stylus 7 having engaged the threads of thefeed I screw .8, will be fed in the opposite direction, that is fromright to left as viewed in Figs. .2 and 3, the outer free end oftheplate orarin B2 resting upon the flange 34 of the guide plate, thusretaining the stylus 7 in engagement with the feed screw 8, until thefeed screw 8 has been rotated sufliciently to 20 have returned thecurved arm 2 and its depending'parts, until the free end 32 enters theinner notch 33, .in guide plate 34, at which time the curved arm- 2 willfall by gravity, causing the stylus 7 tobecome dis- 25 engaged from thefeed screw 8 and permit the stylus 6 to enter grooves formed by thethreads upon the exterior of the drum 1. Thev rotation of the drumcontinues at all times so as to cause the feed. screw 8 to 30 oscillatethe carriage from left to right and fro'mright to left, the'purpose ofwhich will presently appear. Pivoted to the block of insulation 5 andcarried bodily with the carriage as at 12, 5; isa catch or movablemember of acircuit breaker, a contact 13 being carried by the lower endof the blockof insulation 5 and. disposed to make contact with the freeend 11" of, the pivoted memberor timing piece a) 11, the lower end 11'thereof being adapted to engage the outer face of the threads of thedrum and engage the respective circuit completing means or pins carriedby said a, drum, and which will be described in detail. 5 In order tonormally hold the lower end of the device 11 in contact with theterminalf13, a spring 14 and rod connection is disposed between theupper end of the block of insulation 4 and the upper end of the 5opivoted circuit breaking device 11, the

sprin exerting a tension outward so as to hold t e lower end of saiddevice 11 inward and in contact with the contact terminal-13. Thetension of the spring 14 may be varied ,55 'by means of the adjustingnut 15, as the rod 14' is threaded a short distance to permit themovement of the nuts thereupon.

Disposed concentrically upon the end 1' of the drum 1 are" the threerings or contact 50 plates 3 16, 17 and 18, respectively, and adapted tobea'r against the respective rings are the brushes or spring contactarms 19 I 29, and 21 respectively, the same being connected to anddisposed from the bar 22 of 55 insulating material. Leading from therespective contact plates are the conductors 23,24 and 25, the circuitsof which they are spective rings 16, 17 and 18, whereby when either oneof the said points are engaged by the circuit closing member 11, thecircuit is completed through the respective rings of" the drum and oneof the contact plates 19, or 21, the conductor being connectfed directlyto the minute hand arbor of the clock, and forming the return wire forany one of the three cont-act plates and rings. Connected to theterminal 13, is the conductor 60, which is connected to the battery 64,

the line wire 30 being connected through the wire 66 to the other sideof the battery 264 as clearly shown in diagram in Fig. 1. :It will thusbe seen that as the drum 1 revolves and causes the carriage carrying thecontact and circuit breaking device 11 to be ,moved from left to right,so that the various points 26, 27, 28 or 29 will come in contact withthe lower end 11' of said de- ?vice and thereby establish a circuit withsaid battery 64 therein, to ring the gong 55 or the various recitationbells 56, 57 and 58, although it is to be understood that any number maybe employed. All of the con- "tact points 26, are connected to theminute .hand arbor shaft 100 and form a gong ringing circuit.

Referring to the diagram, Fig. 1, and supposing the switch 42 to be inthe full line position with its lower end engaging the contact point24', the circuit closed to ring the bells 56, 57 and 58 is as follows:the batteries 64, conductor 60, the circuit maker and breaker 11,thelower end 11' thereof, the pin 28, the ring 17, the spring plate 19, theconductor 24, the contact 24', the switch 42, the conductor 65, thebells 56, 57 and 58, and the conductor 66. Assuming that the switch 42is moved to have its lower end engage thecontact point 23, with thecontact plate 47, which is carried by and insulated from the switch 42,bridging the contacts b-b, and the armature of the electromagnet 39holdin the switch in such posltion, a circuit to re ease the switch 42and to simultaneously ring the hall bell and the class bells 56, 57 and58 is closed as follows The batteries 64, the'conductor 60,

a the circuit maker and breaker 11, the contact end 11', thepin 27, thering 16, the spring contact plate 21, the conductor 23, the contactpoint 23', the switch 42, the conductor 65, the class bells 56, 57 and58, and the conductor 66. As the conductor 30 is shunted from theconductor 23, and leads to one contact I), a shunt circuit to energizethe electromagnet 39 and ring the hall bell 55 simultaneously with theabove circuits is made as follows: the conductor 30, one contact b, thecontact plate 47 insulated from and carried by the switch 42, the othercontact b, the conductor 30, the hall bell 55, the electromagnet 39 andthe conductors 30 and 66. Thus the hall gong is actuated and the switch42 is released to assume the full line position simultaneously with theenergization of the class bells 56, 57 and 58. The position of theswitch when closing the contacts b-b will prolong the period, as forinstance, ten minutes. Should itbe desired to have the period prolonged,as for instance twenty minutes, the switch 42 is moved to have the plate47 bridge the contacts a-a, and the circuit made to release the switchand ring the hall bell 55 would be as follows: the batteries 64, theconductor 60, the circuit maker and breaker 11, the contact 1]", the pin29, the ring 18, the spring contact plate 20, the conductor 25, thecontact point 59, the switch 42, the conductor 65, the class bells 56,57 and 58 and the conductor 66. Simultaneously with this circuit, ashunt circuit including the hall bell 55 and the electromagnet 39 ismade and is as follows: the conductor 30', led from the conductor 25,contacts area, contact plate 47 carried by the switch 42, the conductor30, the hall bell 55, the electromagnet 39, and the conductor 30 whichis shunted to the conductor 66. Thus the hall bell 55 and the electromanet 39 are energized simultaneously wit the energization of the classbells 56, 57 and 58, and the armature due to the energization of theelectromagnet 39 is operated to release the switch 42, which due to itsspring is moved to the full line position, and the periods ofenergization of the class bells 56, 57 and 58 are regular and as usual.It will thus be seen that the hall bell and the electromagnet 39 areactuated through the medium of shunt circuits controlled by the contactsbb, a-a and the metal plate 47 insulated from and carried by the switch42. The hall gong 55, is actuated at desired regular intervals throughthe following circu1t:the batteries 64, the

, conductor 60, the circuit maker and breaker 11, the contact 11', thepin 26, the conductor 30, the gong 55, and the conductors 30 and 66.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the circuit including theconductors 30 and 30 does not pass through the electromagnet 39 andtherefore such electromagnet 39 is not affected when the current flowsthrough such conductors.

It is .evident that by mounting a circuit making and breaking device inoperable relation with the minute hand arbor of the clock, that a seriesof circuits may be actuated at various times throughout the day, andthat by use of the carriage in combination with the threaded surface ofthe drum 1, and the screw 8' and styli 6 and 7, that the drum may besufficiently large to actuate a period of five days, or during theschool days, the period that the stylus 7 is actuated by the screw 8that is when the carriage is in the raised position and is moving fromright to left, being from the end of the weekly period to the beginningof the next week, that is from Friday afternoon to Monday morning. Bythis means it will be seen that signals are audibly sounded throughoutthe various school days, and not again actuated until the following termor beginning of the week.

In the drawings, the drum is equipped for operating a period of twentyfour hours, that is the stylus 6, when engaging or traveling in thegrooves of the drum being during the school period, while the period atwhich the frame is raised and moved by the stylus 7, and screw 8, is thenight period.

What is claimed is:

1. The combination with a series of audible alarms, and a clock, of adrum actuated by the minute hand arbor of the clock, and provided with aseries of electrical contacts, a series of contacts of said drum and theaudible signals, a carriage disposed with relation to the drum andoperated thereby, a circuit breaker carried by said carriage anddisposed for cotiperative connection with the contacts of the drum formaking and breaking the various circuits at predetermined periods, aswitch common to all circuits but only closin one at a time, and anelectromagnetica ly operated catch for locking the switch at a desiredcircuit point to prolong the first period and for cutting out theelectromagnet when a circuit is established by the contact of thecarriage and drum.

2. The combination with a clock, a series of electrical circuits and aseries of audible alarms therein, of a drum of insulating materialhaving a series of exterior screw threads upon the surface thereof, saiddrum being operably connected to the minute hand arbor of the clock, aseries of contacts connected.to the drum and in electrical connectionwith the circuits, a carriage disposed for oscillation with respect tothe longitudinal axis of the drum, a feed screw disposed exteriorly ofthe drum and parallel to the axis thereof, said feed screw beingoperably connected to the minute hand arbor of the clock, to rotate inunison with the drum, means carried by the drum for lifting the carriagewhen moved toward the electrical circuits including end of the drum, twooppositely disposed styli the lower one adapted to normally engage thethreads of the drum, means for receiving the end pf the carriage when 5lifted to cause the other stylus to engage the feed screw to move thecarriage in the opposite direction to the drum, a spring actuated switchfor one circuit at a time, and an electro-magnetically operated catchfor looking the switch to prolong the first period and for cutting outthe electromag-' net when a circuit is established by the contacts ofthe carriage and drum.

3. The combination with a clock, a series of electrical circuits, and aseries of audible alarms, of a drum of insulating material operablyconnected with the minute hand arbor of the clock, the exterior of saiddrum being threaded, a series of electrical contacts carried by theexterior of said drum, a carriage disposed with relation to the drum andadapted to oscillate it longitudinally thereof, a feed screw operablyconnected to the minute hand arbor of the clock and disposed in paralleltothe axis of the drum, means carried by the carriage.

for engaging the threads of the drum to cause the carriage to move inone direction and to engage the feed screw to move the carriage in theother direction, a circuit breaker in said circuits and adapted toengage the contacts of the drum, a spring actuated switch normallyclosing the regular interval circuit, and an electromagneticallyoperated catch for locking the switch in various ositions to prolong thefirst period and or cutting out the electromagnet when a circuit isestablished by the contacts of the carriage and drum.

4. The combination with a clock, a series of electrical circuits and aseries of audible alarms therein, of a drum of insulating materialhaving a series of exterior screw threads upon the surface thereof, saiddrum being operably connected to the minute hand arbor of the clock, aseries of contacts connected to the drum and in electrical connectionwith the circuits, a carriage disposed for oscillation with respect tothe so longitudinal axis of the drum, a feed screw disposed exteriorlyof the drum and parallel to the axis thereof, said feed screw being 0erably connected to the minute hand arbor of the clock to rotate inunison 65 with the drum, means carried by the drum for lifting thecarriage when moved toward the end of the drum, two oppositely disposedstyli the lower one adapted to normally engage the threads of the drums,

means for receiving the free end of the car riage when lifted to causethe other stylus to engage the feed screw to move the carriage in theopposite direction to the drum, a circuit breaker in said circuits andadapted to engage the contacts of the drum, a

spring actuated switch normally closingregular interval circuits and anelectromagnetically operated catch for locking the switch in variouspositions to prolong the first period and for cutting out theelectromagnet when a circuit is established by the contacts of thecarriage and the drum.

5. In a make and break device, the combination of a rotatable drum theexterior surface of which is provided with screw threads, a series ofcircuit making contacts carried by said drum upon the exterior thereofat predetermined points, a carriage capable of a longitudinaloscillating movement with respect to the drum, a spring o terminalcontact carried by said carriage andadapted to engage at predeterminedperiods the contactsof the drum to establish circuits, a stylus carriedb said carriage and fitting the threads o the drum, 5 the rotation ofthe drum acting thereon to feed the carriage in one directionlongitudinally of the drum, a feed screw operably disposed with relationto the drum and parallel to the axis thereof and adapted to 0 rotate inunison with the drum, an eccentrically disposed plate carried by andupon the periphery of the drum to e ge the stylus and raise the carriageto engage the said stylus from the drum, another stylus carried by saidcarriage and disposed oppositel to the drum engaging stylus to engage te feed screw when the carriage is raised, and a plate disposed lon'tudinally and exteriorly of the drum a apted to engage the carriagewhen raised to retain the upper stylus in engagement with the feed screwto permit the carriage to be fed in the opposite direction and torelease said carriage and permit it to fall by gravity, whereby saidlower stylus of th carriage again engages the drum.

6. A circuit controlling device, comprising a rotatable exteriorlythreaded drum of insulation, a plurality of circuit contacts carried bysaid drum, a feed screw operably connected to and rotatablesimultaneously with the drum, said screw being disposed with its axis inparallel with the axis of the drum, a carriage having one end pivoted sothat the body of said carriage is projected between the exterior surfaceof the drum and said feed screw, two oppositely disposed styli carriedby said carriage intermediate of its ends, one of said styli throughgravity being normally seated within the threads of the drum, aneccentrically disposed plate connected to the periphery of the drum andas a continuation of one outer end of the threads thereof and disposedto engage the lower stylus to elevate the free end of the carriage andpresent the upper stylus into engagement with 881d feed screw, and aguiding plate for the free end of the carriage dispose above the drum180 and provided with a slot at one end to receive the free end of thecarriage when elevated and a slot at the other end to permit the freeend of the carriage to descend and simultaneously disengage the upperstylus from the feed screw and engage the lower stylus with the threadsof the durm.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our own, we have heretoafiixed our signatures 1n the presence of two Witnesses.

JESSE E. RODKEY. ERNEST C. FARRAR.

Witnesses:

C. M. TABOR, E. A. GASTON.

